The Girl
by petrockclyde
Summary: All is peaceful in Stonetown... until McCracken escapes. Who would have guessed his daughter  aka  ten man in training would show up on the Benedict house. Rated teen because I can. Kate gets a boyfriend  NOT REYNIE
1. Chapter 1

_I hated today. My calves seemed like they were on fire. How does Armstrong do it? It also doesn't help that James can't ride to help me. Do you KNOW how much a fifteen year old weighs? I kept pedaling. The thought of saving my brother always makes me try harder. I'm all muscley and buff now. I hope my clothes still fit. Maybe I can borrow my brother's…_

_We once again stopped at a market and tried to sell James's art. People seem to love his stuff… though they don't always buy. We somehow managed to make $50.00. Thank goodness! I'm starving! But I give most of my food to James._

_We are running out of frames though. I don't exactly complain because it makes my bags lighter. But we will need to stop at a dollar store for stuff like wire, glue ect…._

_I don't know how long it will take the authorities to find us. We wanted to have the longest lead possible because the police might find out we exist. That…. Is… not…. Good…_

_I look at the newspaper every day and watch the news channel just to make sure they don't have a trail on us. You can never be too careful. In my mind we are not being careful enough._

_James is getting worse. My heart fills with worry every time I think of this. He hacks and coughs; sometimes he even has to stop to throw up. All I can do is give him the medication we can get without a prescription. His face is thin from lack of food and he has a terrible fever. I hope we reach Auntie's soon._

Sarah's notebook slumped to the ground, muffled by the grass. She adjusted her spectacles. It was a cold, autumn night and she was exhausted. Her eyelids were weights anxious so be closed. She scuffled closer to the dying fire, shivers crawling up her spine. James was already asleep and his mouth was slightly open (the cause of his gentle snores.) she put her own blanket on him.

The stars were shining their cold, beautiful light and the moon was crisp, clear and was not hidden by clouds. Even without a blanket, Sarah lazed onto her back and closed her eyes.

This was their 99th day of traveling. So Sarah slept.

Sarah awoke to the cold Canadian October. The sound of scratching caught her ears. She opened her eyes to cold sunlight stretching everywhere and the grey highway that bended out of sight among the trees. It took her a moment for her vision to de-blur. She also found James. Already awake. Sketching. A rock. Of all the things he could draw…. A rock?

"A rock?" Sarah had raised eyebrows. "Good morning to you too." He replied, not taking his eyes off his paper.

The pedaling was the only sound that Sarah heard as she raced beside the highway. She adjusted her spectacles. She and Her brother had just packed everything onto the bike wagon an hour ago. Sarah had no breakfast and was eager to get into the next town. She could already smell the delicious scent of bacon, eggs, and toast with jam….

She swiveled her head and looked back at James to check in how he was doing. He was asleep; head slumped against Sarah's rather large tote bag.

_I hope he doesn't drool._

Despite the shaking wagon (for it was indeed a bumpy ride.), James stayed asleep until they reached a sign that read:" Next Town: 30 K ". Sarah stopped to catch her breath, heart pounding a mile a minute.

"Obviously, my dream of reaching Queen's Ville was yet another fantasy."

"So realistic." Agreed the beaming James. "Although it gives me time to work on my new projects."

"Do you have your frames ready?" asked Sarah, smiling for she knew James spent most of his time sleeping and not on his frames.

"Yes." This small talk was generally what all they said and was seemed to be boring, but really it was the best part of Sarah's day. They spent their time doing this while reading the newspaper. Back at home, she and James rarely saw each other. Being a runaway would be unbearable without him. Sarah needed James.

He suddenly frowned, as if a bad thought had reached him "Let me bike for a while."

"NOT happening!" Yelled Sarah with a considerate amount of force "You are still sick." She then suddenly jumped into her ten-minute lecture about how he was ill and the many disastrous effects him riding could have. He was used to this and had memorized the speech after fifteen times of her telling this to him. He looked not at Sarah herself, but the trees along the highways just behind her to pass the time.

"Besides, " She concluded, "You help by-"

"Selling my frames" James finished for her, Exasperated, "But I just wish I could help in a more physical way. You are going to kill yourself!"

"Stop being silly." Was all Sarah could come up with. But she knew he was right. The thought of the next thirty miles was excruciating.

James passed her a slice of bread whilst putting a warm, reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Just don't overdo it, Ok?"

By the time they reached town, it was quarter past five. The sun was low and made golden fingers across the concrete. Closed shops and cars driving home were mostly what were seen.

Sarah wanted nothing more but to find a hotel room, collapse onto a warm, fluffy bed, and sleep forever. But they couldn't afford it, they didn't have ID, They were underage and so on… They had to settle underneath a bridge across a slow flowing river. Thankfully it was warm (at least for October) enough to go asleep easily enough. Few cars passed so being spotted was unlikely. But she still kept her flashlight off and didn't build a fire. This made reading the **Queen's Ville Times** quite difficult but she settled for a penlight James had found a week earlier.

Sarah scanned the headlines and sifted though the headlines. Nothing seemed to pop out at her. She adjusted her spectacles. She finally reached the 'Today' part (which in fact was her favorite.) and happily devoured news about a brand new fancy computer coming out for collage students, a new mayor being elected somewhere in Saskatchewan, and so on. She began to feel drowsy.

She spotted something. Sorry, not just something, something that she had scanned the newspaper articles and hoped she never saw since they set off on their journey to their Auntie's.

"James!" She shrieked. Waking up half the neighborhood with her outburst (including James)

His eyes snapped open and he struggled to sit up and listen to her now whispered tone: "He escaped."


	2. Chapter 2

Kate slapped the newspaper down onto the table before them. The disturbing title clear as day.

"McCracken escapes." Read Sticky out loud, "On October the 23rd, at 4:30am, in the Cloverday maximum security prison, the world class criminal, gang leader, and man of many other crimes escaped. He is reported to have knocked 12 security guards out cold and 7 of them are in the hospital for major concussions. 18 others are with minor cuts and sprains.

"It was madness!" States security guard James O'Brien. Officials rushed to the scene to try to piece together where this criminal mastermind went…" Sticky trailed off, his word just mumbles now. He looked up to the many shocked faces around him.

The children sat in their usual circle, but without their usual cheery feeling. They had sensed something terrible had happened and when they asked the adults what had happened, Mr. Benedict just gave them the newspaper, said, "Look for yourself.", and went down to his study.

_This was quite terrible news indeed, for who knows what this criminal would do now. Would he plot for revenge? How?_ All of this information had barely soaked into Rainey's mind when these thoughts exploded into his brain. If McCracken meant to take revenge he would… his eyes drifted to the blonde ponytailed girl. She was vulnerable. Milligan was safe, he was sure of that. McCracken wouldn't go after Milligan with the whole country after him. But Kate… he worriedly looked again at the girl he had a crush on.

The door opening cut off his thoughts as Rhonda stepped into the room. She had a sad look on her face.

"Mr. Benedict wants you in his study." She said nothing more as she led the silent children downstairs into the study. Mr. Benedict was waiting there patiently with his hands clasped together. He said nothing until they had all sat down onto the chairs before him. He took a deep breath.

" I'm sure you have now heard the startling news." The children nodded. " I'm now here to discuss the issue of safety. I have talked things over with Milligan and we both agree that you cannot go out without at least two guards." Kate gasped.

"What! Mr. Benedict, come on!" She meant to say more but he hushed her.

" I know that we have just let you go out yourselves earlier this year, but please know that with a man dangerous as McCracken, it is simply not safe."

Kate humphed and mumbled words about being able to take care of herself.

Constance also looked rejected, even though she wasn't allowed in town without one of the older children anyways. With that, Mr. Benedict dismissed them and they marched up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Kate grabbed Reniey's arm and pulled him aside. He looked at her quizzically but then began to blush as he looked into her blue eyes.

"Gosh. I'm not going to hurt you." Kate whispered. "What do you think of this?" Reniey thought for a moment, "I think it's crazy. Who knows what he's going to so to- " He cut himself off before saying 'you'. "Kate nodded.

"We ought to do something." Reneiy stared at her.

"How?"

"Well! You're the plan guy." She said lamely. And looked away. Reniey knew she feared the fact that she was the main target. Kate was panicking on the inside. She, of course, didn't tell anybody.

"Well… I'm sure you'll be fine." He assured her, almost reading her mind. He added a sneaky smile "Especially since you keep pepper spray in your-" Kate kicked him hard in the shins, cutting him off mid sentence. He winced and held his leg. She was beet red.

"The only reason I keep spray in my bra is to defend you guys. It's what all female agents do. Since you boys obviously need a guard all the time." She huffed "You only know that because I beat up that guy who stole Number Two's purse." She crossed her arms and turned away.

Reniey smiled, obviously enjoying this conversation. "Yeah, I wonder if he's out of the hospital yet."


End file.
